The technology relates to a target searching apparatus, a target searching method, and a computer readable medium having a target searching program that each search a predetermined detection target on the basis of a picture obtained by a camera.
Searching of a predetermined detection target may be performed while an operator who uses an optical camera sees a picture or an image obtained from a height by the optical camera. The predetermined detection target may be on the ground or at the sea. The optical camera may be mounted on an aircraft, etc. For example, reference is made to Japanese Patent No. 4170488.
Upon a searching activity of a predetermined detection target, an operator performs searching over a wide range while seeing a camera-obtained picture based on a wide angle of view. When an object that is a possible detection target is found, the operator turns a visual axis of the camera in a direction in which the object is found, and switches the camera from the wide angle of view to a narrow angle of view, i.e., performs zooming in, to confirm whether the object that is the possible detection target is an actual detection target. The operator returns the camera to the wide angle of view to continue performing the searching when the object is not the detection target. When the object is the detection target, the operator performs an orientation of an actual position or actual coordinates of the detection target, on the basis of a position of the detection target in the image.